Compartment



Deb. 20, 1932. o. M, OTTE 1,891,394v

COMPKRTMENI Filed June 10, 1929 Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED I STATES OTHO M. OTTE, 0F TARCEN'IUM, PENNSYLVANIA COMPARTMECNT Application filed June 10,

This invention relates-t0 stoves and more particularly to the construction of a stove compartment such, for example, as a broiler, although it will be apparent that the invention is broadly applicable to compartments generally and is not necessarily limited in its application to stoves.

As generally constructed, the broiler compartment of a stove is provided with slotted slde walls for receiving the edges of an as' sociated tray or the like, and for supporting the latter at different heights for the purpose of positioning it at any desired distance from the associated burner. In the usual construco tion, the tray must either be entirely withdrawn from the compartment and placed upon a nearby shelf to permit the meat or the like to be turned over in the tray, or, if the tray is only partially withdrawn from the wall slots of the compartment, the top of the compartment interferes with such turning of the meat, rendering such operation diflicult, if not impossible. V

An object of the present inventionis to provide an'improved mechanism for usewith trays, drawers, or the like in their associated compartments of such construction and arrangement as to permit the same to be en tirely withdrawn from the confines of the w compartment while still supported therein;

A further object is to provide a broiler compartment of improved construction and arrangement for cooking stoves.

A still further object is to provide a device of the type set forth which can be applied to stoves already in use.

A still further object is to provide a device of the type set forth which will be simple in construction, successful in operation and cheap to manufacture.

These and other ob]ects'which will be apparent to those skilled in this particular art are accomplished by means of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stove having a broiler compartment con-.

structed in accordance .with one embodiment of this invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of one of the details of the invention. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 1929. Serial No. 3 9.772.

of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line 4-4 thereof.

I It should be definitely understood that, al-' though the present invention is described in connection with a particular article, namely,

the broiler compartment of a stove, it is not limited thereto, but is equally applicable to all forms of construction having tray ordrawer compartments.

' The particular embodiment of the present invention which has been chosen for the pur pose of illustration is shown in connection with a stove 5 having the usual broiler compartment 6 provided with slotted side walls 7 formed by a plurality of superimposed tray supporting slides or ledges 8 for supporting an asscciated broiler tray 9 at any desired level. In using the broiler tray it is constantly necessary to gain access to the meat. thereon for the purpose of turning it. With ordinary constructions, it is practicallyime possible to gain access to the tray 'without' entirely removing it" from the compartment with the accompanying difficultyi The present invention provides a mechanism of such 3% construction as to permit the broiler tray to be entirely withdrawn fromfthe associated.

posed of side members 11 formed of pressed metal and having ageneral U shape to provide inwardly facing slots12 for receiving the edges of the associated broiler tray. or

other device. As illustrated, each side is provided with a downwardly extending flange f 13, whichcan be duplicated at the upper'side if necessary, for reinforcing purposes. A

.rear cross piece 14 of pressed metal isformed of two telescoping members 15 and 16 having a pin and slot connection 17 secured against relative movement by any desired means such, for example, as the wing nut 18. A front cross member 19 is formed by similar telescoping members 20 and 21 having a pin and slot connection 22 adapted to be secured ioo for example, as a chain 25 connecting the rear cross member 14 to a stationary part of the associated compartment. Obviously, if the rear cross member or both cross members are omitted, a similar stop device can be employed with each side member 11.

The upper wall of each tray receiving slot 12 is provided with a yielding tray engaging finger 26 for frictionally engaging the edge of the associated tray so that when the tray is withdrawn from the compartment, the tray receiving side-members 11 will be withdrawn therewith to the full extent permitted by the stop device. Further movement of the tray 9 is permitted by sliding it outwardly of the side members, as illustrated in Fig. 1, with the result that it is moved entirely out of the compartment to give full access to the tray while at the same time it is supported in the compartment.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the upper arm of the U-shaped side member forming the upper wall of the slot 12 is cut away at 27 at the front end thereof so as to provide supporting surfaces 28 for receiving the inner corners of the tray 9 when the latter is being inserted into the broiler compartment, thus greatly facilitating this operation.

In operation, assuming the mechanism to be positioned entirely within the boiler compartment for cooking purposes, when it is. necessary to gain access to the meat or other article on the tray for the purpose of turning. it, the tray can be withdrawn from the compartment in the usual way. The friction fingers'26 on the side members engage the edges of the tray with sufficient. force to move the side members outwardly with the tray to the full extent permitted by the associated stop device such as the chain 25. At this point, the side members 11 have been moved outwardly sufficiently far to support the tray even when it is moved outwardly with rela tion to the side members sufiiciently far to be withdrawn entirely from the compartment as illustrated in Fig. 1 so that free access can be gained to the food on the tray without having to place it on another support and without interference from the associated stove parts. In returning the tray into the compartment, the side members will move inwardly until they engage the rear wall thereof or similar structure after which the as will be readily understood.

It will be apparent, as heretofore pointed out, that the present invention is equally applicable to other forms of compartments for receiving other types of trays, drawers, and the like, regardless of the use to which such compartments are put.

Although I have described a particular construction in more or less detail, it will be readily apparent that various changes, additions, omissions and substitutions can be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

. 1. The combination in a compartment of an open rectangular tray supporting frame slidable into and out of, said compartment and provided with tray receiving grooves formed along each side thereof and adjustable cross members connecting said side members so as to adapt said frame to different widths of compartments.

2. The combination with a compartment of a'tray supporting frame slidably supported therein and including grooved side members for receiving and slidahly supporting an associated tray or the like, adjustable cross mem-.

said compartment and provided with an unobstructed supporting surface at thefront of each side member adjacent to and communieating with the grooves thereof for supporting the edge of a tray being inserted in the said grooves.

4. The combination with .a compartment having slotted walls formed by a plurality of spaced supporting ledges, ofa tray supporting frame slidable into and out of said oompartment on said ledges and including a cross member formed so as to engage the fronts of said ledges to limit the inward movement of said frame into said compartment.

5. The combination with a compartment having slotted walls formed by a plurality of spaced supporting ledges, of a tray supporting frame slidable into and out of said compartment on said ledges and including side members adapted to receive the edges of an associated tray or the like, telescoping cross members connecting said side members at the front and back thereof, said front connectin member having a portion formed so as to engage the front of one of said ledges to limit the inward movement of said frame into said compartment 6. The combination'with a compartment of a tray support including grooved tray rece v- 111g sidemembers slidable 1nto and out of said compartment, telescoping cross members located between and connecting said s1de members and means for securing said telescoping cross members together so as to provide a frame of predetermined size.

7. The combination with a compartment of a tray supporting frame including, grooved tray receiving side members slidable into and out of said compartment, telescoping cross members located between and connecting said into and out of a compartment, and a. tray slidably disposed in the grooves of the side members.

9. In a compartment, in combination, aframe disposed for movement into and out of said compartment to provide an extended support for a tray or the like when out of the compartment and as a support therefor when in the compartment, and comprising grooved side members, a cross member connecting the rear ends thereof and a cross member connecting the front ends thereof, the portion of the cross member between the front ends of said side members extending downwardly and below the side members to provide clearance for a tray or the like adapted to be slidably supported in said grooves.

10. In combination, a frame having grooved side members and a cross member extending downwardly and below said side members, said frame in operation being movable into and out of a compartment, and a tray slidably disposed in the grooves of said side members.

11. In combination, an oven having supporting ledges on the sidewalls thereof, a frame having grooved side members supported by and slidably disposed on said ledges, said frame being adapted to be moved partly out of the oven and still be supported by said ledges, and a tray slidably mounted in the grooves of the frame side members,

said frame being adapted to permit movement of the tray partly out of said grooves and still support the tray in the extended position.

12. In a supporting mechanism for a tray adapted for movement into and out of a compartment and disposed to permit the tray to be extended out of the compartment and still support the tray in the compartment, said mechanism comprising ledges on the side walls of the compartment, a frame having grooved side members slida-bly disposed on said ledges and a cross member connecting the side members and extending downwardly and below the same, and a tray slidably disposed in the grooves of said side members. 13. A frame adapted for movement into and out of an oven or compartment and disposed to support a tray, pan or the like, said frame comprising grooved side members for supporting the tray, pan or the like, and a cross member connecting said side members, said cross member extending downwardly and below the side members. 7

14. A frame adapted for movement into and out of an oven or compartment and disposed'to support a'tray, pan or the like, said frame comprising side members for supporting the tray, pan or the like, and a cross member connecting said side members, said'oross member extending downwardly and below the side members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 8th day of June, 1929. i OTHO M OTTE.' 

